Pain
by SSAEmilyHotchner
Summary: Oneshot. Yet another alternate scene between Emily and Cyrus in 4x03, "Minimal Loss." Established H/P romance. Hope you enjoy!


Author's Note: Once again, this story kind of came out of no where while I was watching "Minimal Loss", which just so happens to be one of my favorite episodes. In fact, this story is A LOT like my other one, "Putting Off The Inevitable", but this is just another way the episode could have ended if the director and writers had a change of heart...but of course they didn't, although I really think they should listen to the fans already and PUT HOTCH AND EMILY TOGETHER. (: Anyway...It's another alternate scene between Emily and Cyrus, and it was actually based off a poem that I wrote. If you want to read the original poem, just tell me through a review (see how sneaky I am?) or a PM. I'm always game for advice, and if anyone wants to give me story ideas, I'd be more than happy to write them... But anyway, hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own Criminal Minds. Athough I really want to...

* * *

Pain.

It swallows you whole, never lets go.

The pain never ceases.

You think about the others. JJ, Garcia, Reid, Morgan, Dave. Hotch.

Aaron.

It is the memories of them that keep you alive.

You are living for them.

After all, if you were gone, they would be alone. They would all be without their friend.

JJ and Garcia would be left without you, their bets and closest friend, who has always been there for them.

"Where are they?" you think, as yet another punch hits you square in the face, knocking you to the floor.

Reid. He'd be without the closest person he's had to a mother figure. Not just a mother figure, but an older sister who never failed to look out for him. Who protected him from the cruel world they both – they all – know too well.

Morgan and Dave. They wouldn't have a person to tease, to crack jokes with, a person who understood them, and everything they did. It was the same for all of them.

It's hard.

Burning tears threaten to spill from your eyes as you try to cope with the endless throb of pain. You're slammed into a mirror. Shards of glass rain down, looking beautiful for just a moment, until they tear at your skin, igniting a fire of suffering and horrid emotions.

Aaron.

Who are you to him? It's a hard question.

Not because you're nothing.

Because you're everything to him.

You are one of the very few people who can always make him smile, laugh, enjoy life. He trusts you, depends on you, always values what you have to say.

He loves you.

He's never said it directly, but you're a profiler. The sweet, secret smiles you share, those slight glances that seem to convey so much emotion…

You're pulled up by your hair. Thrown across the room.

"This is it," you think. "Cyrus is going to kill me." You close your eyes, trying to put off the inevitable. As if you're imagining it, you hear one word from outside the locked door.

"Now," you thought you heard Aaron say.

It wasn't your imagination.

Barely a second passed, and the door crashed down. Cyrus was being arrested by Dave and Morgan. Reid was staring at you, pain etched in his sweet, boyish features. You give him a look as if to say that none of it was his fault. He seems to understand.

As if in a dream, he runs toward you.

"Aaron," you manage to say as he carefully lifts you into his arms and carries you out of the compound that you will surely have nightmares about for a long time. He sets you down in the back of an ambulance and as the EMTs look over you and bandage your wounds, he takes your hand in his and whispers, "Emily…I am so sorry…" He looks so sad that it breaks your heart.

"Aaron, it's not your fault…"

"Yes it is. I'm the one who chose you and Reid to go undercover."

"And I'm the one who chose to take the blame. Cyrus would've killed Reid. It's no one's fault but mine, and I would have done it again in a heartbeat if it ensured his safety."

"Damn it Emily! He was about to kill _you_!"

His burst of rage causes the young EMT to glare at him, then continue to tend to you. You hear Aaron sigh, then his voice softens again.

"Emily…if he had killed you…I…everyone on the team would be broken. And…I wouldn't have gotten to tell you…"

The EMT interrupts him. "Ms. Prentiss, you should be fine. Just keep changing your bandages, cleaning the wounds, and stay away from strenuous activities." He glares pointedly at Hotch, who raises an eyebrow and glares back.

"Thank you," you murmur, as he walks away. Aaron continues. "…I wouldn't have gotten the chance to tell you that I…"

JJ and Garcia come running over, embracing you and fussing all over you. You ensure then that you are fine, but it takes a lot to convince two dedicated friends. Aaron closes his eyes. "Will I ever get the chance to tell her?" he wonders.

Finally they leave, and you are alone with Aaron once again. You look up at him curiously. Opening his eyes, he says, "I love you, Emily. If we had come in just two seconds later…if Cyrus had killed you…he would have killed me too. I'd rather die than live without you, Emily. You are the one who has helped me through practically everything…and I just want you to know that it means a lot." He actually looks shy as he says quietly, "I love you."

You barely have enough time for all this to sink in before he's kissing you softly, sweetly, lovingly. As you kiss him back, you can only think about one thing.

Pain is immortal.

But so is love.


End file.
